Welcome Home by David Ravenhill

A Far Country – A Modern Look at a Familiar Parable

In his book “Welcome Home” David Ravenhill presents a fresh approach into the familiar parable of the prodigal son taken from the teachings of Jesus. Ravenhill depicts the parable in light of a contemporary family setting.

The short fast moving chapters are used to show the parallelism of today’s youth growing in their giftedness and ministry, seeking Godly counsel. At first they eagerly seek more of God, but soon like the prodigal, “not many days later…he gathered everything together” to go to a far country.

Ravenhill describes the far country as an alienation of the heart. He showed how Solomon is an example of another son who inherited much but desired more and soon his desire for God was replaced with a desire for strange gods. He warns of the risk of affluence without purpose.

I was moved by the chapters entitled “The Journey Home” and “The Father Ran” which beautifully describes the joyous reunion of father and son, of a son’s confession and a father’s acceptance and forgiveness.

The chapters close with an opportunity for the reader to process on the material and to reflect on the thought provoking truths included in the chapter. This introspection allows the reader to absorb this solidly based Biblical teaching.

Part 2 of “Welcome Home” Is a reprint of G. Campbell Morgan’s classic book “The Parable of the Father’s Heart.” The book closes with a final treatment of the parable and a charge to enter into an personal fellowship with the Lord.

Ravenhill captures the spirit of a father’s unconditional love for his children. It is his prayer that the reader will discover the amazing love, mercy and grace of God the Father and become familiar with the joy of accepting His forgiveness and acceptance.

Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 978-0768427196,

As Reviewed for Midwest Book Review

Welcome Home by David Ravenhill